Abrasion-resistant thermoformable coating and preparation of same

Abstract

Coating compositions including a nanoparticle layer including nanoparticles and a curable resin and a curable resin layer comprising the curable resin, where the nanoparticle layer has a thickness of 0.2 μm to 8 μm, and where the nanoparticle layer includes less than 40 vol. % of the curable resin. Methods for preparing the coating compositions, laminates including the coating compositions, and articles including the laminates are provided.

1 . A coating composition comprising:
 a nanoparticle layer comprising nanoparticles and a curable resin; and   a curable resin layer comprising the curable resin,   
       wherein the nanoparticle layer has a thickness of 0.2 μm to 8 μm, and wherein the nanoparticle layer comprises less than 40 vol. % of the curable resin. 
     
     
         2 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle layer has a thickness of 0.4 μm to 6 μm, optionally 0.8 μm to 4 μm, or optionally 1 μm to 3 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle layer comprises less than 30 vol. %, less than 20 vol. %, less than 10 vol. %, less than 5 vol. %, or less than 1 vol. % of the curable resin. 
     
     
         4 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise silica, alumina, ceria, diamond, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tungsten oxide, zirconia, calcium carbonate, magnesium silicate, indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, tungsten bronze, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The coating composition of  claim 4 , wherein the nanoparticles have average diameters of from 1 nm to 400 nm, optionally 2 nm to 200 nm, or optionally 5 nm to 100 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have an aspect ratio of 2:1 to 12:1, optionally 3:1 to 11:1, optionally 4:1 to 10:1, optionally 5:1 to 9:1. 
     
     
         7 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise an elongated silica nanoparticle having a diameter of 9 nm to 15 nm and a length of 40 nm to 100 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise a silane coating. 
     
     
         9 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the curable resin comprises a (meth)acrylate resin, a polyurethane precursor, an epoxy precursor, a polyurea precursor, a cyanoacrylate resin, a polyester (meth)acrylate resin, a polyurethane (meth)acrylate resin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the curable resin comprises a (meth)acrylate resin. 
     
     
         11 . The coating composition of  claim 10 , wherein the (meth)acrylate resin comprises at least one (meth)acrylate component having a functionality of two or higher. 
     
     
         12 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the curable resin further comprises wt. % to 60 wt. %, 0.1 wt. % to 20 wt. %, or 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt of a nanoparticle dispersed throughout the curable resin bulk. 
     
     
         13 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the curable resin is free of dispersed nanoparticles. 
     
     
         14 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the curable resin further comprises 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a photoinitiator. 
     
     
         15 . The coating composition of  claim 1 , wherein the curable resin further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of a pigment, an antioxidant, a surfactant, a solvent, a wetting aid, a slip agent, a leveling agent, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A hardcoat prepared using the coating composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The hardcoat of  claim 13 , wherein the hardcoat has a delta haze % less than 25, less than 10, less than 5, less than 2.5, or less than 2 according to ASTM D1044-13. 
     
     
         18 . A laminate comprising:
 the coating composition of  claim 1 ; and   a substrate,   
       wherein the substrate is adjacent the curable resin layer. 
     
     
         19 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of coating a substrate, the method comprising:
 preparing the coating composition of  claim 1 ; and   applying the coating composition to a substrate   
       wherein the substrate is adjacent the curable resin layer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising exposing the substrate to actinic radiation.